The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Federer revival underway as Sharapova struggles Posted: 17 Jan 2014 10:14 PM PST As cooler temperatures consigned this week's heatwave to memory, Federer swept past Russia's world number 79 Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in what is his record 57th consecutive major tournament. Federer, with an unsurpassed 17 Grand Slam titles but now aged 32, last year lost in Wimbledon's second round and in the last 16 at the US Open, raising doubt about his ability to win more major titles. But the Swiss, who said he was comfortable with his new, bigger racquet and with Swedish great Stefan Edberg in his corner, hoped his 2013 difficulties were now behind him. "It was a tough year last year and it took some time to figure out what I needed to do to feel better and to get my confidence back, because that's what I thought it was mostly," Federer said. "For the last four to five months I feel that I'm back to normal again and at least I feel I've done the work to catch up and haven't had any setbacks, so it's very positive." Federer, who now faces either Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or fellow Frenchman Gilles Simon, said he was happy with his first week's work in dismissing James Duckworth, Blaz Kavcic and now Gabashvili without losing a set. "I didn't have the best of Wimbledon and US Opens last year, and I didn't want to get ahead of myself," the four-time champion said. "Now the draw is getting extremely difficult, regardless of whether it is Jo-Wilfried or Gilles, but I'm looking forward to it... I've done the work and haven't lost a set so far." Russia's Sharapova was less impressive, and less convinced about her form, after struggling for a second successive match before ousting France's Alize Cornet. The third seed, on her way back after a shoulder injury, was made to work for the win before coming through 6-1, 7-6 (8/6). She also had trouble putting away Italy's Karin Knapp in the second round. "There are definitely things I'm going to have to improve and do better moving forward, because it only is going to get tougher," she said. Sharapova will next play Slovakian seed Dominika Cibulkova, who beat Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro. Serb Jelena Jankovic won against Kurumi Nara, her third successive Japanese opponent, to set up a meeting with Romanian Simona Halep. America's Sloane Stephens, a semi-finalist last year, beat Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and will next face either defending champion Victoria Azarenka or Yvonne Meusberger, who play later. France's Stephane Robert beat Slovakia's Martin Klizan in what was the first third-round Grand Slam clash between two 'lucky losers' – who failed to come through qualifying, but earned their spots due to withdrawals – in 41 years. And in the men's doubles, Indian-Pakistani pair Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi ended the Grand Slam comeback of British cancer survivor Ross Hutchins and his partner, Colin Fleming. – AFP, January 18, 2014. |
| Sharapova works hard to make last 16 Posted: 17 Jan 2014 07:51 PM PST The four-time Grand Slam champion came through her match on Rod Laver Arena 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) in one hour 51 minutes, but Sharapova's killer instinct deserted her in the second set when she failed to serve out for the victory, forcing a tiebreak. "She started playing better when I gave her some chances," said Sharapova, after setting up a clash with 20th-seeded Slovak Dominika Cibulkova for a place in the quarter-finals. "After my last match I'm just glad to be through and have another day to recover." "I definitely need to step it up – every player will need to raise their game," she added, contemplating the tournament's second week. Sharapova is still on the comeback trail from a shoulder injury and she was pushed hard in draining heat during her second-round match against Karin Knapp, eventually coming through a marathon third set that went 10-8. Despite those energy-sapping conditions, she showed few ill-effects on Saturday although in temperatures that were some 20 Celsius cooler, she was still using ice vests on the changeovers. Getting past Sharapova was always going to be a big ask for Cornet. She has only beaten a top-10 player twice in her career and had only been beyond the third round once in 31 Grand Slams, at the 2000 Australian Open. In contrast, the Russian has reached eight major finals and won four, with her last success coming at the French Open in 2012. The third seed got the match underway serving to love and made an early breakthrough in a tight second game highlighted by a series of entertaining baseline rallies, breaking to go 2-0 ahead when Cornet hooked a forehand long. Sharapova's serve was finding its mark and she comfortably held before her pinpoint ball placement forced Cornet into a series of errors that allowed her to go 4-0 in front. But her serving issues returned in the fifth game when a double fault gave Cornet a second break point and she grabbed the opportunity. Unperturbed, the Russian broke straight back to love and served out for the set in 32 minutes. Sharapova threw away a chance to ram home her advantage in the third game of the second set, blowing three break points as Cornet fought a rearguard action. The Frenchwoman, who partnered Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to Hopman Cup success earlier this month, made the most of her reprieve, breaking the third seed with a deft drop shot to take a 3-1 lead. But she wasted the advantage when she let the Russian break back. With the finish line in sight, Sharapova got another crucial break in the seventh game with a forehand down the line to go 4-3 in front. Cornet saved a match point on her serve at 3-5 to keep the tie alive and Sharapova then failed to serve out for the match. She paid the penalty with the showdown going to a tiebreak, in which she saved a Corner set point before finally getting the win to book her spot in the last 16.– AFP, January 18, 2014. |
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